Ring Shout

by P. Djèlí Clark

“Reason and law don’t mean much when white folk want their way.”

East St. Louis

STL IL MENTION

If a giant centipede with man hands hadn’t done near the same to me a night previous, pretty sure I might have passed out then and there.

What we owe this world that so despises and brutalizes us? Why lift a hand to save it when it ain’t never done a damn thing to save us?

Songs full of hurt. Songs of sadness and tears. Songs pulsing with pain. A righteous anger and cry for justice. But not hate.

What I have is beautiful music inspired by struggle and fierce love. What he got ain’t nothing but hateful noise. Not a hint of soul to it.